The field of this invention pertains to portable building structures and, in particular, to collapsible shelters for use as changing rooms and toilet enclosures of the type commonly seen at beaches, special events, parks, construction sites, and also those of modular or foldable design as cited below.
A collapsible portable shelter can be used for privacy aboard small watercraft, at campsites and other public places where conventional portable toilet shelters are impractical due to their large size, weight, or hardware components necessary to assemble into a self supporting structure, making them inconveniently, unsuitable and impractical aboard small boats, campers and similar recreational vehicles and vessels due to a lack of space.
Examples of present portable toilet and changing structures are disclosed in U.S. Pat. Nos: 4,493,118 Braxton, 4,305,164 Sargent, 4,726,155 Nahamias, 4,640,061 Trumley, 4,539,721 Moore, 4,163,294 Patterson, 4,065,885 Blick, 4,035,964 Robinson, 3,526,066 Hagar, 3,940,806 Mustee, 1,917,629 Anderson, however, none of the above citations disclose a collapsible or hand carried feature as described in the present invention.
Other examples of portable shelters fall into the classification of hunting blinds, including U.S. Pat. Nos. 3,513,605 Smith, 4,123,869 Witt, 4,224,754 Derryberry, 4,682,436 Ritson, 4,825,578 Robinson, 4,761,908 Hayes, 4,833,813 McLemore.
Articles of bellows like side wall configurations are described in U.S. Pat. Nos: 4,492,313 Touzani, 2,780,378 Romano, 3,474,844 Lindstrom, 4,044,836 Martin, 3,956,778 Tanaka, 4,773,458 Touzani, 4,775,564 Shriver, 992,009 Miller and Switzerlnd Pat. No. 264,553 Schaufelberger.
No previous privacy shelter is as portable, versatile and convenient in use, particularly on watercraft, land vehicles or at public places as is the new invention described herein.